http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...-apology_N.htm
I know that this is stretching the letter of the rule a bit, but couldn't 12-3-3-a technically be used to call back this play? The rule uses the words "runner judged not to have been down by rule.." I know this is referring to 4-1-3-b, but there is no official definition of "being down" other than the items listed in 4-1-3 that cause the ball to become dead, including fair catch signals as in 4-1-3-g.
It's all academic at this point and I'm sure the IR rule will be rewritten yet again for next season.